Kinetics of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose: Analytical description of a mechanistic model

A generalized mechanistic model for the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is developed and expressed mathematically. The model is based on Michaelis–Menten‐type kinetics for concurrent random and endwise attack of the substrate involving end‐product inhibitions and three types of enzymes: an endo‐β;‐1,4‐glucanase, an exo‐β‐1,4‐glucanase, and β‐glucosidase. Basic parameters of the model which can explain synergistic and other effects observed experimentally are quantified and discussed. It is shown that cellulose degradation kinetics are expected to be strongly affected by the ratio of endo‐ to exocellulases in the reaction mixture as indicated by previous experimental data, and the substrate degree of polymerization, a factor not fully appreciated in previous studies, which appear to be overridingly important in many practical cases.

[1]  Robert Simha,et al.  Kinetics of Degradation and Size Distribution of Long Chain Polymers , 1941 .

[2]  W. J. Alexander,et al.  Rapid Measurement of Cellulose Viscosity by Nitration Methods , 1949 .

[3]  E. Reese,et al.  THE BIOLOGICAL DEGRADATION OF SOLUBLE CELLULOSE DERIVATIVES AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE MECHANISM OF CELLULOSE HYDROLYSIS , 1950, Journal of bacteriology.

[4]  On the Mechanism of the Hydrolytic Cleavage of the Interunit Bonds in the Cellulose Molecule , 1951 .

[5]  B. Rånby,et al.  Recent Work on Molecular Weight of Cellulose , 1953 .

[6]  D. R. Whitaker.  Hydrolysis of a series of beta-1,4'-oligoglucosides by Myrothecium verrucaria cellulase. , 1954, Archives of biochemistry and biophysics.

[7]  The mechanism of degradation of cellulose by Myrothecium cellulase. , 1957, Canadian journal of biochemistry and physiology.

[8]  L. Segal',et al.  The Effect of Cellulase on the Degree of Polymerization of Cellulose and Hydrocellulose , 1957 .

[9]  M. Mandels,et al.  INHIBITION OF CELLULASES AND β-GLUCOSIDASES , 1963 .

[10]  K. W. King,et al.  Individual roles of cellulase components derived from Trichoderma viride. , 1965, Archives of biochemistry and biophysics.

[11]  K. Selby,et al.  The cellulase of Trichoderma viride. Separation of the components involved in the solubilization of cotton. , 1967, The Biochemical journal.

[12]  K. W. King,et al.  Significance of the crystal structure of cellulose in the production and action of cellulase. , 1968, Archives of biochemistry and biophysics.

[13]  W. Brown,et al.  Structural features of cellulosic materials in relation to enzymic hydrolysis , 1969 .

[14]  G. Pettersson.  Studies on cellulolytic enzymes. VI. Specificity and mode of action on different substrates of a cellulase from Penicillium notatum. , 1969, Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics.

[15]  K. W. King,et al.  Enzymes of the Cellulase Complex , 1969 .

[16]  K. Eriksson,et al.  Kinetic studies of the action of cellulase upon sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. , 1969, Archives of biochemistry and biophysics.

[17]  D. Updegraff,et al.  Kinetics of diffusion‐coupled fermentation processes: The conversion of cellulose to protein , 1971 .

[18]  K. Laidler.  The chemical kinetics of enzyme action , 1973 .

[19]  L. Berghem,et al.  The Mechanism of Enzymatic Cellulose Degradation , 1973 .

[20]  M. Moo‐Young,et al.  Enzymatic breakdown of water insoluble substrates , 1975 .

[21]  M. Moo-Young,et al.  Degradation of polysaccharides by endo and exo enzymes: A theoretical analysis , 1975 .

[22]  A A Huang,et al.  Kinetic studies on insoluble cellulose–cellulase system , 1975, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[23]  B. Pettersson,et al.  Extracellular enzyme system utilized by the fungus Sporotrichum pulverulentum (Chrysosporium lignorum) for the breakdown of cellulose. 3. Purification and physico-chemical characterization of an exo-1,4-beta-glucanase. , 1975, European journal of biochemistry.

[24]  B. Pettersson,et al.  Extracellular enzyme system utilized by the fungus Sporotrichum pulverulentum (Chrysosporium lignorum) for the breakdown of cellulose. 2. Activities of the five endo-1,4-beta-glucanases towards carboxymethylcellulose. , 1975, European journal of biochemistry.

[25]  J. Howell,et al.  Kinetics of solka floc cellulose hydrolysis by trichoderma viride cellulase , 1975 .

[26]  M. Moo-young,et al.  Degradation of polysaccharides by endo‐ and exoenzymes: Dextran–dextranase model systems , 1977, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[27]  M. Moo-young,et al.  SCP production by Chaetomium cellulolyticum, a new thermotolerant cellulolytic fungus , 1977, Biotechnology and bioengineering.